Violin-bow gage



C. SAMPIETRO.

VIOLIN BOW GAGE.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. 2o, 1919.

1,357,189, Patented Oct. 26, 1920.

33W; "f Vw GMM" ma .A

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VIOLIN-BOW GAGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 26, 1920.

Application led January 20, 1919. Serial No. 272,061.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CORNELIUS SAMPIETRO, a subject of the King of Italy, residinof at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and Sbtate of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Violin-Bow Gages; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. f

This invention relates to gages, and it relates more particularly to an improved violin-bow gage.

One object of this invention is to provide a gage which is attachable to any bow of ordinary construction without changing the construction of any element of the bow.

Another object is to provide a device of this character which, when attached, prevents the hairs of the bow from being tightened or stretched beyond a predetermined degree. Y

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which is ad- 'ustable to change the degree to which the ows hairs can be stretched or tightened.

Another object is to provide a device of this character which is durable and strong consistent with lightness and thorough effciency.

Another object is to provide a device of this character which consists of few and simple parts, and may be manufactured at a comparatively slight cost.

Other objects and advantages may become apparent to persons who read the following details of description in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the handle element of a bow-staff and its adjuncts having my improved gage attached thereto.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view, partly in section, of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the parts adjusted in the relaxed or loosened relation to one and other.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view along the line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view along ythe line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is an elevation of a slightly modiiied form of the attaching element hereinafter descrbed in connection with the remaining figures.y

Fig. 7 is a sectional view illustrating another modified form.

Referring to these drawings in detail, in which similar reference characters correspond with similar parts throughout the several views, the numerals 7, 8, 9 and 10 refer, respectively, to the staff, frog, adjusting screw and hairs of a violin-bow of ordinary construction. To those who are familiar with the art, it is well known that the staff turning the screw 9, the frog 8 is moved 70 along the staff 7 toward the extreme end of the handle element of the staff, lthereby stretching the hairs 10, and that by rotating the screw 9 in the opposite direction, the

frog 8 is moved away from the extreme end 75 of the handle element. Moreover, it is usually known that a boss extends from the extreme end of the handle element, as indicated at l1, and that the head or handle element of the screw 9 is formed with an annular 80 recess12 which fits over the boss 11. The present invention makes use of the boss 11 and recess 12in a manner which will be described hereinafter.

The present invention consists broadly-0F85 an attaching element 13, a gaging screw 14, a lock nut 15, and a 'spring 16, and I may add a washer 17. The attaching element 13, according to Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, consists of the oblong member or bar 13 provided 90 with a screw-threaded aperture 18 and a non screw-threaded a erture or opening 19. this opening being en arged at 20 to receive the boss 11. it being understood that the shank of the adjusting screw 9 extends 95 through this opening when the device is in its useful position. The margin of the opening 19-20 is serrated or formed with teeth 21 which are held in engagement with the extreme end of the handle element by means of the compression sprin 16.

The gaglng screw 14 1s provided with a head 22 at one end and with a knurled manipulative element 23 at its other end. The

head 22 being disposed between the attach- 105 ing element 13 and the adjacent end of the frog, prevents the screw from beingr removed from the aperture 18 while the device is attached to the violin-bow; and this arrangement also provides a wide area to engage with the frog, so that danger of splitting or otherwise injuring the frog 41s avoided. f i

rThe loclr nut 15 may be provided with apertures 24 adapted for engagementv with a wrench, hey or Spanner (not shown), so that a music teacher or other person may tighten the nut 15 to such extent that it can not be loosened by person without the use of a Spanner or other nut-operating tool. By-this arrangement, a music teacher can adjust the according to the lamount ol" adjustment or tension he desires that the hairs 10 shall be given. Villien thus adjusted a student or user of the bow may slacken the hairs 10 by turning the head ot the screw 9 counter-clockwise until the parts have moved Atrom the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in 8. in this latter position, it will be seen the spring 16 still retains some ot its pressure upon the member 13, through the medium Voi'i the washer 17, so that the teeth 21 prevent accidental turning of themember 13 about the shank of the screw 9, so that the gaging screw 11i retains its position in the path oi `movement of the frog 1S when the latter is subsequently moved to its hairV tightening position. son adjusts the bow tor use, the frog is stopped by its Contact with the head Q2, and the hairs 10 are thereby prevented from being overstretched or strained by an inexperienced or careless person. j

ln attaching the devicer illustrated in Figs.

' 1 to 5, inclusive, the screw 9 is removed from its engagement with the statt 7 and 'frog 8.

The spring 16, washer 17 (when used), and attaching element 13 are successively strung onto the shank of the adjusting screw, and the latteris then replaced in its useful posi.- tion relative to the staff and fing, and this attaching operation may be completed within a fraction of a minute by any person of ordinary ability.

"linorder that the attaching element may be even more quickly and easily attached, that is, without removing the screw 9 from its engagement with the elements 7 and 8, l may employ the modifiediorm shown in Fig.` 6, in which the member 13inay -be notched or slotted at 19', this member being identical with the member 13 in all other respects.

In use 'this modified form ot washer and 'spring maybe dispensed with or any appropriate ormot spring may be employed in lieu oi: the spring 16. However, it is obvious that a spring ot the character shown may be applied to the cavity 12 by loosening 'the .screw 9 suilficiently to allow its shank to be passed laterally between the helices of this spring; and this inode of attaching the spring and attaching-member 13, the vgaging attachment may be secured f When the student or other perintegree ln the modified form shown in Fig. i", the

member 13 is different trom the member 13, in that it is bent or o'lset at its middle part and extends toward the frog ofthe bow so that the linger piece 23 does not interfere with the easy manipulation of the nut or finger piece at the end of the bow. By this arrangement the adjusting-member 11i may be relatively short, being nearer the frog 8. Another feature oi this modiiiedtorm is the provision of a recess or spring seat 17.

Although I have described this embodiment ot my invention very specifically, it is not intended to limit this inventiontothese exact details oit construction andarrangement of parts, but l am Ventitled to make changes within the scope of theinventive idea disclosed in the foregoing description andthe following claims. Vifhat 1 claim as my invention is:

1. The combination with a violin `bow and a gaging screw threaded in said aperture and located 1n the path otmovement of said frog so it will abutagainst 'the adjacent end of the trog'to limit-'adjustment of the latter, said gaging screw being ad Y justable Vfor varying its limiting effect-upon said frog. y

2. A. violin-bow gagingV attachment comprising an attaching element V`formedwith a screw-threaded aperture and -having an opening therein to receive the portion offthe adjusting screw "of the violin-bow at the 'extreme end of the lhandle elementen? the bow-staff, a gaging screw lin said'threaded aperture to labut against thef'trog of the violin-bow, the margin ofsaid opening being `:formed with teeth to Yengage said eXtreme end, andfelastic means lto vcO-act with Ysaid adjusting'screw torholding said teeth in engagement with `said extreme end.

3. The combination with a violin bow staff, and a gaging screw in said threaded' aperture and positloned in the path of adjusting movement of said frog.

4. The combination with a violin bow comprising a staff, a frog, and an adjusting screw operatively connected to the frog, the handle element of the staff having a boss extending therefrom, the adjusting screw having a head with an annular recess therein; of an attaching member having a threaded aperture and an opening therein, said boss being fitted in said opening while said adjusting screw extends through this opening so as to retain said attaching member in its normal position, elastic means in said annular recess to press said attaching member against the handle elements of the staff, and a gaging screw in said threaded aperture and positioned in the path of adjusting movement of said frog, the gaging screw having a headed end disposed between the frog and the attaching member to prevent removal of the screw and provide a wide frog-engaging area, said screw having a handle at its outer end and being provided with means for locking the gaging screw in its different adjustments.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

CORNELIUS SAMPIETRO. 

